Heat exchangers used to condense a high pressure vapor refrigerant into a high pressure liquid refrigerant for an air-conditioning system are known in the art and are referred to as condensers. Sub-cooled condensers typically include a plurality of tubes extending between an inlet/outlet header and a return header. The tubes are divided into an upstream group within which the refrigerant is condensed from a gas to a liquid, and a downstream, or “sub-cooling” group, within which the condensed refrigerant is further cooled prior to exiting the condenser. Both the inlet/outlet header and the return header typically include an internal partition that divides each of the headers into a first chamber and a second chamber. The first chambers are in hydraulic communication with the upstream group of tubes and the second chambers are in hydraulic communication with the sub-cooling group of tubes. The refrigerant enters the first chamber of the inlet/outlet header and flows through the upstream group of tubes into the first chamber of the return header. The refrigerant is then typically directed through a refrigerant reservoir assembly, also known as a receiver, having a desiccant material to remove any water before entering the second chamber of the return header to be directed through the sub-cooling group of tubes. After passing through the sub-cooling group of tubes, the refrigerant exits the condenser through the second chamber of the inlet/outlet header.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,412 discloses a condenser having an integral receiver that is substantially parallel to the return header and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The integral receiver includes a refrigerant conduit that extends between an entry end and a discharge end within the receiver. The refrigerant conduit is engaged to a receiver separator that divides the receiver into a first chamber and a second chamber, in which the entry end and discharge end of the refrigerant conduit extend into the first chamber and second chamber of the receiver, respectively. A first fluid port is provided between the first chamber of the return header and the first chamber of the receiver, and a second fluid port is provided between the second chamber of the return header and the second chamber of the receiver. The refrigerant flows into the first chamber of the receiver from the first chamber of the return tank through the first fluid port, continues through the refrigerant conduit to the second chamber of the receiver, and then exits the second fluid port into the second chamber of the return tank.
Permeable bags containing desiccants (desiccant bags) are known to be disposed in the receiver to remove water from the refrigerant flowing through the receiver. Current desiccant bags and bag enclosures are designed to accommodate a variety of reservoir shapes, including that of a cylindrical shape. The desiccant bags are typically fixed onto the refrigerant conduit and then inserted into the receiver through an opened end. However, the inserting of the refrigerant conduit with the attached desiccant bag causes the desiccant in the bag to bind up against the opening and internal wall of the receiver resulting in an uneven distribution of desiccant in the cavity of the receiver, thereby potentially impeding the flow of the refrigerant flow through the refrigerant conduit resulting in a higher pressure drop through the condenser. Furthermore, the binding of the desiccant creates undue efforts in the insertion of the desiccant into the receiver, increasing the potential of damaging the desiccant bag.
There is a long felt need to have a refrigerant reservoir assembly, in which the refrigerant conduit and desiccant bag may be assembled and inserted into the receiver housing without undue efforts or potentially damaging the desiccant bag.